Toy.



Patented Mar. 25, I902.

0. H. JAMES.

TOY.

(Application filed Apr. 18, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

: uonms PETER! co. mowme WASHINGTON. n. cy

UNITED STATES OTTO H. JAMES, OF MOGOLLON, TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO.

PATENT OFFICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. -696,051, dated March 25, 1902.

' Application filed April 18, 1901. Serial No. 56,409 (No model.)

To alZiuhom it may concern:

Beit known that LOTTO H. JAMES,a citizen of the United States, residing at Mogollon, in the county of Socorro and Territory of New Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toys; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to toys, and more particularly to that variety thereof wherein the illusion is created that the figure riding the vehicle affords the motive power to propel the same.

The object of my invention is to provide an attractive. toy ofthe character specified which may be very cheaply constructed and sold at a comparatively low price.

Further objects and advantages will be made clear from the following specification, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates my invention complete. Fig. 2 is a top plan View ofone form of V6- hicle which may be adopted in providing 10- comotion for the figure of any desired variety to be carried thereby. Fig. 3 is a detailin longitudinal section of one of the knee-joints, whereby it will be provided with the'desired degree of flexibility.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, 1 and 2 illustrate, respectively, the front and rear carrying-wheels, which may be constructed in any preferred way.

As will be seen by reference to the drawings, I have illustrated a tricycle, though it will be understood that any number of wheels may be employed, the object being to prevent the figure carried by the wheels from casually falling over. The wheels are properly connected together by a suitable framework, as indicated by the numerals 3, 4, and 5, the rear wheels being joined by a suitable axle 6, it being understood that only one of the wheels may be rigidly attached to the axle, while the other is left to play loosely thereon in order to compensate for the unequal travel of the wheels, inasmuch as the vehicle is designed to travel in a circular path, the front wheel 1 being disposed, preferably, at an obtuse angle to the median line of the rear wheels. The frameworko is so formed that it will be properly joined to the section 4 and will also provide a suitable axle 6, or the front ends of said framework may be operatively connected to the axle proper of the wheel, so that it may freely turn in either direction.

Therear axle has rigidly connected thereto a gear-wheel 7, designed to mesh with the driving-gear 8, which latter is properly disposed in asuitable barrel or casing 9 and connected to a master-spring, (not shown,) whereby-the motive power is provided, it being understood that the axle 10 of the wheel 8 is to project through said barrel or casing for cooperation with the winding-key. The axle has also fixedly secured thereto a sprocket-wheel 11, designed to cooperate with the forward sprocket-wheel 12, said wheels being operatively united by the sprocketchain 13, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

It will be understood that any preferred object may be properly mounted upon the wheel; but Ihave illustrated in the drawings the figure of a boy as beingproperly mounted upon the saddlelet, the arms 15 of the rider thus provided being pivotally connected in any preferred way to the body portion 16 and extending into engagement with the handles '17, while the lower ends, comprising the sections 18 and 19, are pivotally connected to the body portion by the rod 20.

The section 18 is so attached to the body portion that the lower end thereof will be held normally upward by means of the spring, which is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, (designated by the numeral 21.)

In order to provide the requisite degree of flexibility for the lower limbs, I prefer to bevel the lower end thereof, as indicated by the numeral 22, and provide a corresponding bevel 23 upon the upperend of the section 19, and in order to pivotally connect said parts together I provide a slit,2-:L in both the sections 18 and 19, so shaped that they will receive the opposite ends of a section of tape or other suitable flexible material, and it only becomes necessary to anchor each end of the tape in its respective slit by means of any suitable cement, glue, or the equivalent thereof. The tape being thus located near the forward side of the sections 18 and 19, great flexibility is provided for the parts, though all lateral bending is prevented. By this construction the limb is thus fitted for cooperation with the pedals of the tricycle or other vehicle, and as the toy is moved over the floor by means of the spring within thebarrel 9 the impression is created that the object on the cycle is providing the motive force.

It is obvious that the forward wheels may be disposed parallel with the rear wheels, in which case the toy will move in a straight line; but, as above stated, it is deemed preferable to so dispose the forward wheels that they will occupy an obtuse angle with respect to the median line of the rear wheel, and thus direct the toy so that it will move in a circle. By regulating the size of the spring employed in the barrel or housing 9 any desired degree of power may be readilyprovided, and while I have described the preferred construction and combination of parts deemed necessary in carrying out my invention it will be understood that I wish to comprehend in this application all equivalents and modifications as may be considered to fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

My improved toy may be made of any preferred material and any desired size and will attord great amusement and entertainment.

Having thus fully described the construction of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a toy of the character specified, a toy figure having its lower ends formed of sections 18 and 19 beveled at their articulating ends and each provided with a single transversely-disposed slit and a single section of flexible material having its ends disposed in said slits at the outer surface of the joints, said slits and flexible material extended parallel with said sections near the outer faces thereof, with the flexible material bridging the joint between the sections, whereby the limb thus constructed may be freely extended or prevented from having lateral movement substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OTTO I'I. JAMES.

Witnesses:

JULIAN E. BAILEY, JOHN HOWARD- 

